Motorists demand City Council repair High Street

SOMERSWORTH — The City Council on Monday discussed a problematic stretch of High Street between Sinclair and Bartlett streets.

The 1 inch-deep caves of pavement, which the city has referred to as “delamination,” has motorists swerving in and out of lanes to avoid vehicle damage.

“What a difficult position to be in,” Councilor David Witham said. “I can tell you I have received more phone calls, emails, and conversations than in the last three years on any issue. There is no question come this summer or when the construction season is conducive we need to make that correct — fix it.”

High Street brings area of concern in safety, rideability and the city’s image, Witham said.

“This isn’t just a road off the beaten path. This is the main road in and out of the city; we need to find a creative way to fund it to get it repaired properly,” said Witham.

During a recent observation, workers from the Somersworth Department of Public Works noted that due to progressive freezing and thawing of the pavement, the paved surface has started to loosen, which has formed the sporadic holes in the High Street area. DPW workers believe the road condition will worsen with more vehicle traffic.

Councilor Dale Sprague seconded the opinion of the DPW, and added, “There is greater risk of accelerated deterioration with more traffic.”

City councilors said they feel it is their duty to get immediate, proper signage to bring awareness to motorists of the hazardous street conditions.

City Manager Robert Belmore said, “We are looking to get a more appropriate repair to the entire section.” The signs will be a temporary fix; a bidding process of the project will follow to correct the pavement.

The cost of the project is still in discussion, although initial estimates show it could be costly. A one-time repair would be in the range of $15,000. The cost could double or triple if the job needs to be repeated.

“If we’re going to do it, at least to do it right,” Witham said.

The current situation puts councilors between a rock and a hard place. Witham recalled seeing a vehicle up on the sidewalk recently due to swerving around holes in the pavement. He said it was lucky there were no pedestrians in the area.

The poor road conditions probably won’t damage cars, but the problem could lead to a collision, Witham said.

“The fact of the matter is, we have a very unsafe situation,” he said.

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